Stage 2 / Duration:10 weeks (1.5 hours per week)
Unit context
In response to community concerns about the decline in the local animal or plant population, students describe how changes in the environment caused by humans may affect the survival of living things. They develop their knowledge and understanding of the life cycles of living things and the ways that changes in the environment can affect life cycles. Students use this knowledge to design an information product to raise awareness of the need to protect local places and spaces, so that plants and animals can survive and reproduce.
Target outcomes
A student:
ST2-1VAshows interest in and enthusiasm for science and technology, responding to their curiosity, questions and perceived needs, wants and opportunities
ST2-4WSinvestigates their questions and predictions by analysing collected data, suggesting explanations for their findings, and communicating and reflecting on the processesundertaken
ST2-5WTapplies a design process and uses a range of tools, equipment, materials and techniques to produce solutions that address specific design criteria
ST2-10LWdescribes that living things have life cycles, can be distinguished from non-living things and grouped, based on their observable features
ST2-11LWdescribes ways that science knowledge helps people understand the effect of their actions on the environment and on the survival of living things
ST2-15Idescribes ways that information solutions are designed and produced, and factors to consider when people use and interact with information sources and technologies
Unit overview
This unit builds on students’ prior knowledge from Stage 1. They extend their understanding of observable features, change and growth of living things to the concept of life cycles, astheyobserve first-hand the stages in the life cycle of a plant or animal. Students are reintroduced to the design process, prior to developing and evaluating an information product basedonthis investigation and their research into how changes in the environment could affect the life cycle of an animal or plant population. To help inform their design choices, studentswork inteams to evaluate existing information products about living things, create their own product, and then reflect on and evaluate the processes used in terms of the needsofthe previously identified audience.
It would be preferable to begin observations of the life cycle early in the unit, to provide time and opportunity for students to observe the entire cycle first-hand. If it is not possible tocomplete the observation of the life cycle (eg due to time constraints or season), students could use a variety of secondary sources to gather information to show how the life cycleprogresses.
1
Content – Skills(Working Scientifically
and Working Technologically) / Content – Knowledge andUnderstanding / Suggested teaching, learning and assessment experiences (include evidence of learning)
Working Scientifically
Students question and predict by:
- predicting what might happen based on prior knowledge in aninvestigation (ACSIS053, ACSIS064)
- safely using appropriate materials, tools or equipment tomake and record observations, using formal measurements anddigital technologies as appropriate (ACSIS055, ACSIS066)
- representing and communicating ideas and findings in a variety of ways such as diagrams, physical representations and simple reports, tables, simple column graphs, written and oral factual texts, explanation and argument (ACSIS060, ACSIS071)
- sharing what they did and found out, including identifying some strengths and limitations of the method they used and what could be done differently to improve their investigation, including fairness as appropriate
Living things can be grouped on thebasis of observable features andcan be distinguished from nonliving things. (ACSSU044)
Students:
- identify and use patterns in theobservable features of livingthings to group them, byusing tables, diagrams orflowcharts
There are processes and considerations involved in designingand producing informationsolutions.
Students:
- use common digital technologies and applications to organise andcommunicate information fora specific task, eg word processing and digital presentation software
Teacher background
To extend students’ prior knowledge and understanding from Stage 1 of living things and their interaction with the environment, they are introduced to the concept of ‘life cycle’ – the continuous process by which new generations of offspring are produced. Students identify why it is important to find out about life cycles and the possible effect of their actions on the survival of living things.
Throughout the unit, each student will keep a journal to record their plan, actions, progress and findings.
Group activity
Students use teacher-provided resources showing a variety of living things, eg specimens, pictures and digital images, to share and record their ideas from prior learning about:
- the observable features of living things
- how living things change and grow
- what living things (including humans) look like at the beginning of their lives.
The teacher describes the following activity to the class and allocates students to groups. Before beginning the activity, a Y chart could be developed on effective group work, setting the scene for theexpectations ofcooperation and teamwork while working in a group.
Students use teacher-provided pictures or digital images of a familiar animal or plant at different stages oflife, eg chicken, frog, sea turtle, butterfly, cicada, flowering plant, to identify a sequence that shows the development of a living thing. The examples provided to each group may be different.
Students use the information to:
- decide which image they think shows the first stage in the animal’s or plant’s life and explain why theyhave reached this decision
- arrange the images in a sequence to show the growth and development of the animal or plant overtime
- construct a visual representation, eg chart, series of diagrams or flowcharts, showing each stage inthe life cycle and its observable features.
Each group presents their visual representation and shares their findings with the class, which reviews and provides feedback on the quality of the presentation and the information obtained from it.
Based on the group presentations, the teacher, through questioning, guides the students to think about theword ‘cycle’, including its meaning in relation to the stages in the life of living things and the concept ofa‘life cycle’.
Students use peer feedback to revise, as appropriate, their constructed sequence to include their understanding of the term ‘life cycle’. Each student creates a digital representation of the life cycle.
Working Scientifically
Students question and predict by:
- using curiosity, prior knowledge, experiences and scientific information with guidance, identifying questions in familiar contexts that can be investigated scientifically (ACSIS053, ACSIS064)
- working collaboratively and individually, to suggest ways toplan and conduct investigations to find answers toquestions (ACSIS054, ACSIS065)
- suggesting appropriate materials,tools and equipment they could use in conducting their investigations and recording their findings, identifying appropriate safety rules
- following the planned method, adjusting procedures as necessary, including exploration, fieldwork, surveys and researching secondary sources
Students generate and develop ideasby:
- using creative thinking techniques, including brainstorming, mind-mapping, sketching and modelling
Teacher background
To assist students in developing their understanding about the processes of Working Scientifically, theyareguided in selecting a suitable animal or plant, and in planning an investigation to observe andrecord itslife cycle.
Class activity
Students construct a list of living things with life cycles that might be suitable to investigate. With teacher guidance, they review their ideas and reduce the list to those living things whose life cycles can be observed in the time and with the space and resources available, eg silkworms, mealworms and fastgrowing plants such as beans, cress or wheat.
With teacher guidance, students discuss and record in their journals:
- what they need to find out before they can select an animal or plant life cycle to investigate, eg time allowed to complete the investigation, length of life cycles of various animals and plants, and basic needs ofa potential animal or plant
- the most suitable conditions under which the plant or animal will thrive and any factors that might affect itssurvival
- the roles and skills needed for effective teamwork.
With teacher guidance, students:
- select a suitable animal or plant for their investigation
- make and record decisions about how they will set up and observe the plant or animal life cycle
- suggest and list the equipment they will need to conduct the investigation, eg transparent containers tobe able to observe the growth of a plant seed, sufficient food for the animal, suitable measuring equipment, digital camera
- develop a team plan for providing for the needs of the animal or plant during the activity –
- identify, negotiate and allocate team roles for responsibly caring for the animal or plant and for measuring and collecting data
- use equipment safely to set up the animal or plant so they can observe its life cycle
- identify the data and information they will collect during their investigation and from secondary sources
- design a scaffold for the collection and recording of first-hand data/information
- discuss the plan for their investigation with the teacher and with guidance, and modify as appropriate.
Working Scientifically
Students question and predict by:
- using curiosity, prior knowledge, experiences and scientific information with guidance, identifying questions in familiar contexts that can be investigated scientifically (ACSIS053, ACSIS064)
- predicting what might happen based on prior knowledge in aninvestigation (ACSIS053, ACSIS064)
- working collaboratively and individually, to suggest ways to plan and conduct investigations tofind answers to questions (ACSIS054, ACSIS065)
Living things, including plants and animals, depend on each other and the environment to survive. (ACSSU073)
Students:
- identify some factors in the local environment that are needed by plants and animals for survival
Teacher background
To assist students in applying the design process to the development of an information product, the teacherdescribes the requirements of the design project and reviews students’ prior knowledge about thedesign process.
Class activity
The teacher describes the design project in which the students will work collaboratively as a project team, to design and produce an information product for a particular audience based on first-hand observations ofthe life cycle of a plant or animal. As local animal and plant populations are declining, the information product should raise awareness of the need to protect local places and spaces so that plants and animals can survive and reproduce.
Students identify some examples of information products to identify their features. Examples could include posters, advertisements, websites and media presentations.
Project team activity
The teacher allocates students, or students select their own project teams.
Students share and discuss their digital representations of the life cycle of an animal or plant to decide whatinformation should be included in the information product, including:
- how the observable features of the chosen plant or animal change during different stages of its lifecycle
- the needs of the animal or plant at each stage in its life cycle
- some possible effects of changes in the animal’s or plant’s environment on different parts of its life cycle, eg change in seasons, food supply, habitat, air or water quality
- the importance of people knowing about the life cycles of plants and animals
- examples of animals and/or plants in local places and spaces whose survival is threatened by humanactivity
- how science knowledge about life cycles might help people understand the effects of their actions onthe survival of living things in local places and spaces.
Working Scientifically
Students conduct investigations by:
- following the planned method, adjusting procedures as necessary, including exploration, fieldwork, surveys and researching secondary sources
- safely using appropriate materials, tools or equipment tomake and record observations, using formal measurements anddigital technologies as appropriate (ACSIS055, ACSIS066)
- using a range of methods torecord observations and measurements with care and honesty, including tables and formal units for length, time and mass
Living things have life cycles. (ACSSU072)
Students:
- observe first-hand one animal orplant as it grows and develops, andsequence the stagesin its lifecycle
- identify ways that the environment can affect the life cycle of plants andanimals
A range of factors needs to be considered when using information sources and technologies.
Students:
- acknowledge ownership of information when selecting andusing information, eg citing sources
Teacher background
Students develop their understanding of the concept of ‘life cycle’ as they carry out a first-hand investigation. They record detailed observations for the duration of the plant’s or animal’s life cycle, usearange of secondary sources, and discuss findings with their teacher and peers.
Project team activity
Students follow the planned method to:
- make and record observations in their scaffold for the duration of the life cycle of the plant or animal
- record questions and predictions that they identify during the investigation
- access data from secondary sources to gather data/information to:
raise awareness of a local environmental issue involving a decline in an animal or plant population.
The students will need time and structured opportunities in their project teams to discuss their observations, to research information, and to record information in their individual journals.
In their individual journals, students record:
- predicted answers to their chosen questions
- observations that answer the questions they have posed
- information extracted from secondary sources
- the sources of information used.
During the course of the unit, through their individual journals and discussion, the teacher informally assesses students’ skills in posing questions, making observations, and recording data and information.
Working Technologically
Students explore and define ataskby:
- exploring design situations and/or existing solutions relevant to the needs and wants of themselves and others
- working individually and collaboratively to develop adesign brief that identifies simple design criteria relating torequirements that make the proposed solution useful and attractive while having minimal impact on the environment
There are processes and considerations involved in designing and producing information solutions.
Students:
- investigate the effectiveness ofan information solution for itsintended use, eg a game oranimated story book
Teacher background
Students evaluate an example of an existing information product related to animals or plants, to assist them to begin to generate and develop ideas for their team project.
Class activity
With teacher guidance, students:
- recall the nature and purpose of the design task
- suggest the range of forms an information product could take, eg board games, trivia games, books,ebooks, animations, video documentaries, narratives, websites, PowerPoint presentations orgalleries
- consider possible audiences for their presentation, eg Kindergarten class, their peers, family and/or community members
- suggest criteria for their information products, eg the product must contain scientifically accurate information, successfully inform and raise awareness in the intended audience, be engaging and interesting, and have minimal impact on the environment.
With teacher guidance, students:
- use the criteria they have developed or a teacher-provided scaffold to evaluate at least one informationproduct related to animals or plants, eg printed material, a website ora documentary, usingcriteria such as the type and purpose of the information product, its intended audience and indicators of success
- use the findings to modify, if necessary, the design criteria for their own information product.
Working Technologically
Students generate and develop ideasby:
- using a range of research techniques to access information relevant to the task
- using techniques including labelled drawings, modelling and storyboarding for documenting and communicating design ideas
- using digital technologies and multimedia for communicating design ideas